Some special kids

"I want to go to camp but there is no money" is the most common quote heard around December, when summer camp time is drawing near here in Lima. So many super kids would love more than anything to go but there literally just isn't any money. It costs about $25 a week per camper. Most also pay anywhere from $1 to $40 in travel expenses to get to camp.

Some kids have no hope of going and they just accept it. Some kids work and save every penny to go. Some kids make sweets or food and sell it. Some kids work around their church to make some money. Some kids pray and wait. Some kids ask other family members or friends for money. Some kids give up a meal or a hobby to save money for camp.

There are kids who arrive at camp with the clothes on their back and only one other change. They wash their clothes each day and hope they're dry by the next morning. There are kids who arrive with no sheets, pillow or sleeping bag. They sleep on a dirty thin mattress. There are kids who arrive with no soap, shampoo or towel. Usually, it's because they don't have any.

Kids have cried when it was time to go home from camp because at camp, they get 3 meals a day. Kids have cried the last day because they were returning to an abusive situation. Some have cried of fear to tell their parents of their decision for Christ.

It only takes a little more than $25 for a young person to go to summer camp, a week that could very well be the week that changes his life forever. The sacrifices made by some to go humble me and encourage me. These are some seriously special kids.

Miriam

Camps in Peru

Hungry kids, lonely teens, pastor's kids, gang members, neglected children, seminary students, rape victims, homosexuals, girls who have had abortions, church kids, abuse victims, pregnant girls, children from single parent homes, spiritually mature young adults, prostitutes, alcoholics, drug addicts, Sunday school teachers, teen mothers, .........just some of the precious souls we see each summer at church camp in Peru. Some of their stories would make you weep of shock and sadness. Some of their stories would make you weep with joy.

Brent started going to camp as an infant, sleeping next to him mom in the girls' dorms and being passed around from person to person who wanted to hold the chubby white baby. He grew up going to camp every summer with his parents and eventually as a camper. He worked in a summer camp in CA during college, took youth groups to camp in the US and has been either director, camp speaker or both every summer that we have been in Peru for the last 10 years. To understate it, he loves camp.

My first camp was at the age of 9, at the church gymnasium. Every summer after that until I graduated from high school, I went to summer camp. After I married Brent, we went to camp every summer with the youth group we were working with. Since being in Peru, I have gone to camp pregnant twice, twice with an infant and always with all of my kids. I learned quickly that this was a huge part of my husband's life and saw firsthand what an opportunity to see God at work it was. Now I wouldn't miss it for anything.

The spiritual battle at camp is almost tangible at times. I believe many young people are able to hear God's voice more clearly when they are removed from their daily environment and placed into one where they are bombarded with love, God's Word and surrounded by people who intensely want to see lives changed.

My own life was changed at camp as a teenager. Brent's life was changed at camp as a teenager. We have seen hundreds of lives changed at camp. It is a worthy ministry and we hope one that will grow by leaps and bounds in Peru.

The next few blogs will be about camp in Peru ~ there's too much good stuff to put it all in one!

Miriam

Fireworks

Let's talk about fireworks. Here in Peru, although illegal, thousands of people do fireworks on Dec. 24th and Dec. 30th. When I say "do fireworks" I mean set them off in their front yard or in the neighborhood street or park. True story. To say it is dangerous would be a huge understatement.

At about 11:50 pm on the 24th, I heard them begin. "Here we go" I thought, "I won't sleep so I'll see if I can see any fireworks from the windows." Well, where we are living, we are surrounded by thousands of people and I think most of them were doing fireworks that night! I could not even begin to describe the sound of it.....an unbelievable amount of pops, whistles and crackles, some very near and some farther away. The sound is like nothing I could explain or describe....just incredible and in some ways cool, in other ways, a bit unnerving. I did get a great showing from the bedroom window, btw.

Every year, I half expect a firework or two to rocket through one of our windows, they are that close! Car alarms go off everywhere, dogs bark and I've seen dozens of fireworks go off on the ground. Did I mention this is illegal? But how are you going to stop it when "everyone" does it?

All 3 kids were awakened and sent back to bed. This happens every year too.

Well, the intense noise went on until about 12:25 and then subsided some, but we heard fireworks off and on all night and many the next day as well. I was still hearing some at 10:30 am! My poor friends in another part of town were awake until 3 am with the steady sound of fireworks.

The 30th will be even more intense. I'm planning on going up onto the roof, settling in and watching - if you can't fight 'em, join 'em, huh? Well, something like that.

Miriam

Christmas funnies/special moments 2010

Christmas 2010 was a special and fun day. We are so thankful for good and faithful friends, but especially so on special days when we miss family. Here are some of the highlights ~ at least in my mind......

When Lucas woke me up at 6:15 telling me everything that was in his stocking and to wish me a Merry Christmas.

When we heard Lucas loudly whispering what he thought a gift was "A snowboard!" (that's funny because we live in Lima and we will never see a snowflake, ever).

When the kids busted into our room at 7:00 singing "Get up, get up, get up!!!" (they were told not to make a peep until 7 - hey, we tried).

When Kyall opened his skateboard and said "I never thought I'd see the day I would own a skateboard!"

When Lucas opened one of his "big" gifts and said "Oh, it's that one." When asked if he liked it, he said "Ehh, kind of."

When Olivia and Kyall insisted on giving their daddy money so he could buy cd's on itunes.

When Brent surprised me with a beautiful necklace.

When Lucas opened Wii Mario, whooped and yelled "YES! I've been dying for this! Zane is going to love this! This is the day I've been waiting for! I'm never going to share this with Kyall and Sis!"

After being sick all week, Kyall telling me he knew I would feel better on Christmas morning because "It is a day for miracles".

Olivia jamming to Casting Crowns in her room with her new ipod dock.

Brent making giblet gravy just from remembering watching his mom and grandmother make it.

Olivia and Kyall thinking they were Zeke and Luther after owning skateboards for 10 minutes.

Lucas asking "Since it's Christmas, can we skip church tomorrow?"

Kyall giving away his stocking treats just because he likes to share.

Olivia telling me it was her favorite Christmas ever.

Spending Christmas with the Kennedys for the first time.

Debbie's bedazzled Santa hat and "topal" jewelry (had to be there).

Mychelle's amazing cooking and baking.

The boxer reaching up onto the stove and pulling a full pan of turkey bones and grease onto the floor.

The girls winning Taboo.

The peanut butter fudge.

Watching the 12 kids play and laugh together.

The kids' handbell special they performed for the parents.

Good friends.

Celebrating Jesus.

Miriam

A Poem Tradition

In keeping with a Perdue tradition of writing an end of the year/Christmas poem, I think it's time for me to start writing one too. My Grandma Perdue and my dad have sent out poems for years and I always enjoy them. Here's mine:

Life is but a vapor

This is true, we know

2010 has come and gone

And it's been anything but slow!

Here we are, at year's end

Time to pause and reflect

On the goodness of God

His love, His Son and His

Promises He does not neglect.

For us, the Williams clan

Our year has been great

Laughter, tears, testing and change

Mostly, learning to wait.

From the blue skies of Texas

Back to Lima's gray

Spanish and homeschool

Lessons learned most every day.

Olivia is eleven

And reaches my nose

Kyall, soon to be nine

Reaches Sis on tippy toes.

Lucas is four and growing so much

With God's help, love and grace

Their hearts we hope to touch.

Our greatest adventure yet

Is the care of these three

Joy fills our days

As growth in each we see.

Brent and I stay busy

With work God has for us

Teaching, giving, serving

Learning to follow without a fuss.

Seminary work and classes

Counseling, camps and more

Our ministries in Peru

Could never be called a bore.

We celebrate Christ's birth

As is our custom every year

With gifts, food and family

Those both far and near.

Thank you, God for bridging the gap

In the form of a baby boy

All man, all God

Bringing with Him hope and joy.

We worship our King

We lift our hands in praise

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee

Our voices we will raise.

Hallelujah, Christ has come

To earth and to mankind

Let us share His love

Let us spread this word

That each one salvation may find.

In Jesus' holy name

Our love and greetings sent

Merry Christmas to all

From Miriam and Brent.

December

Dear December,

I love you for so many reasons:

I love you for winter in the U.S. and spring in Peru.

I love you because you mark the end of a year and the time to reflect on it.

I love you because of Christmas and all that goes with it.

I love you because most people think about others this month.

I love you because the new year is close on your heels.

I love you because I am sure to talk to most of my family this month, even though we are far apart.

I love you because you mark the birthdays of 3 of my loved ones.

I love you because it's ok not to diet for this month.

I love you because this it the month my husband proposed to me.

Thank you for being a great month. I will embrace and enjoy you this year, December.

Miriam

Let the Christmas season begin!

Warning: controversial material to follow.....

To fully enjoy the coming of fall, changing of the leaves, pumpkins and Thanksgiving, I need to be able to focus fully on these things. This means I don't want to be looking at Christmas stuff while also looking at pumpkins. It means that I should not see pumpkin pies and Christmas cookies in the same bin at the bakery. Thanksgiving and Christmas do not go hand in hand, they are two completely different events and should be celebrated separately (imo).

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and with it, the colors orange, yellow and brown. My mind has done the switch from pilgrims to presents, from turkey to tree and from giving thanks to baby Jesus. It is now ok to use red, green and gold. My kids may now make their Christmas lists and I will now begin shopping and decorating. Christmas music will now fill our home for exactly one month (just kidding, kind of).

So, I am now enjoying all the decorations and music. I am trying to get my mind and my family's to think about Jesus and the reason to celebrate this December.

Here in Peru, we are going from winter to spring right now and by Christmas, it will be hot. It is still hard for me to get used to and I really do miss the fall and all that goes with it in the U.S., but we do enjoy celebrating Christmas and swimming in the same week!

Every year, the Christmas decorations in Lima are more and better than the year before. Santa is meandering around in different stores (not sure how he does that), we're seeing more Christmas trees in peoples' windows, lots of pretty lights at night and music everywhere. Our favorite mall is decorated beautifully and has an enormous tree (50-60 ft. high) that we love. My favorite is the 6 story tall billboard with Santa drinking a Coca-Cola. 'Tis the season.

So, feel free to opine on the proper time to begin singing "Jingle Bells", but I'm gonna stick by my guns. Thanksgiving in November, Christmas in December. Whew, I feel much better now.

Miriam